Parents of James Dwyer and Mary Price

Who Are the Parents of James Dwyer and Mary Price?

The problem with identifying the parents of James and Mary correctly is not that there is a lack of either Dwyers or Prices in the area in the 1780-1810. There are plenty of both. Proving which ones is the issue.

Who are the parents of James Dwyer?

William C. Dwyer's writeup in the 1889 Portrait and Biographical Record describes his family history:

He is a member of a family long established in this section of the state, his great-grandfather being the first of the name to settle here. His grandfather, James Dwyer, was born in this county, where he spent his entire life, engaged in farm pursuits. The father, John, also a native of this county, learned the trade of a stonemason and plasterer in his youth under the instruction of his father, who followed these occupations for some time.

So who is this "great-grandfather being the first of the name to settle here," anyway? He would be the father of James Dwyer, who was born in 1781 in Montgomery County, MD. Family tradition holds that the Dwyers were originally Catholic and perhaps came from Pennsylvania. They are definitely a different family from the Kent County Eastern Shore Dwyers.

Montgomery County land records refer to "James Dwyer the elder," and Montgomery County census records identify a James Dwyer in 1790 and a Thomas Dwyer in 1800. Thomas E. Dwyer is listed in the 1804 tax records.

1790 - James Dwyer, 3 males aged 16 or over, 1 female

1800 - Thomas Dwyer, 1 male aged 45+, 1 male aged 16-26, 1 male aged 0-10, 1 female aged 26-45, 2 females aged 10-26, 2 females aged 0-10

No 1810 listing, and after that just the James and Mary Dwyer listing.

Marriage and cemetery records in this county and nearby Frederick and Anne Arundel (partly now Howard) Counties do not straighten out the issue. Thomas could be the father or the uncle of the James who was born in 1781.

Total conjecture:
It's inviting to think that the Thomas and James Dwyer who took the Oath of Allegiance in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1775 are the source of the family. It's possible, too, that the Montgomery County, MD family is linked to the military records of a James Dwyer who was transferred to the invalid list 11 April 1780, served between 1 August 1780 and 1 Jan 1782 on the Maryland Line, was in service at the Garrison of Philadelphia on June 19, 1781, retired on pension in 1782, and was married in Frederick County. I can't prove, though, that any of this data is definitely linked to the Laytonsville-Unity Dwyer family.

Who are the parents of Mary Price?

The Unity-Sunshine area was full of Prices in the early 1800s, including Richard Sr. and Jr., William Sr. and Jr, and Henry. These names all match Mary Price Dwyer's sons' names. But -- I have not found any information that would definitely establish her as the daughter in any one of these families. Here is a little information which might be helpful:

Mary had a brother, Elias Price (about 1790 - 1868), who lived in Unity. This connection is established by Mary's son William Price, who served as a witness or reference for the family of Elias Price in their efforts to get a War of 1812 pension.
(W.O. 34432/W.C. 33988 Capt. John Heater 30 Oct. 1850 app, also abstracted on page 38 of Maryland Militia War of 1812, Vol. 7, Montgomery County)

Elias's wife was Deborah; his three children were Mary E, Richard E, and John E. Price. They lived near Brookeville in 1868. In the 1850 census Elias was a post & railer -- a fence builder. In 1860 he was a carpenter in Tridelphia.

There were three Prices listed in District 1, Montgomery County, in the 1800 Federal Census. All three include a pre-teen or young teen girl who might have been the Mary Price who was married in 1805. Henry and Richard have boys who could have been around 10 years old and might have been Elias.

Henry Price	1 male under 10, 1 male aged 26-44, 2 females under 10, 1 female aged 10-15;	4 household members under age 16, 1 household member over 25.
Richard Price	1 male under 10, 2 males aged 10-15, 2 males aged 16-25, 1 male aged 45+, 1 female under 10, 1 female aged 10-15, 1 female aged 26-44	5 household members under age 16, 2 household members over 25
William Price	1 male aged 45+, 1 female aged 10-15, 1 female aged 26-44	1 household member under 16, 2 household members over age 25, 5 slaves

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